Surprisingly, no. They counted deaths from exposure, drowning, etc as fatalities in this study: https://www.aviationsafetymagazine.com/features/the-myths-of-ditching/
This is just a review of NTSB data and some ditchings may have gone unreported. The main point is that ditching, even in the open ocean is very survivable.
You’re not wrong, but winning the election isn’t the bridge the article is talking about. There’s room for both conversations in the world, and talking about the potential shift taking place in The Democratic Party may help them to win more elections.